Adjustable handle-bar



No. 68,633'. Patented Nov... l, |898., J. D. KING & M. A. BURNS. ADJUSTABLE HANDLE BAB.

(Application med No'v. 2a, 1897.)

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JOSEPH D. KING AND MATTI-IEV A. BURNS, OF MENOMINEE, MICHIGAN.

ADJUSTABLE HAN DLEeBAR.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 613,633, dated November 1, 189B.

Application filed November 23,1897. Serial No. 6591626. (No model.) i

To @ZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, JOSEPH D. KING and MATTHEW A. BURNS, citizens of the United States, residing at Menominee, in the county of Menominee and State of Michigan, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Adjustable Handle-Bars and we do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

Our invention relates to improvements in handle-bars for bicycles, and has for its object to provide a handle-bar that may be adj usted either vertically or horizontally by the rider in an instant and, if desired, while the bicycle is in motion and without dismount- Ing.

Our invention, which consists of the novel devices and combination of parts hereinafter described and claimed, will be understood by reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein the same parts are indicated bythe same letters throughout the several views.

Figure l represents a rear elevation of the handle-bar detached from a bicycle. Fig. 2 represents an enlarged central vertical section of the middle portion of the handle-bar and its post or steun taken on the line 2 2 in Fig. A and illustrating` the interior mechanism. Fig. 3 represents a sectional view of the left-hand branch of the handle-bar, showing the arrangement of the trigger and chain for operating the devices for unlocking the clutch. Fig. i represents a section taken on the line 4 e in Fig. 2. Fig. 5 represents a detail plan view, parts being broken away, of the joint in the handle-bar. Fig. 6 represents a detail view of the adjustable connection for the trigger shown in Fig. '3, and Fig. 7 is a diagrammatic view illustrating the possibilities of adjustment that may be given to the handle-bar by means of our improved mechanism.

A represents the handle-bar, and B represents the handle-bar post or stem.

The handle-bar is made of hollow tubing and is composed of two sections-a right-hand section A' and a left-hand section A2. The

two sections are joined together by means of a screw.- collar A0, which turns freely in a groove a2 on the left-hand section A2 and engages screw-threads a on the end of the righthand section A', as seen most clearly in Figs. 2 and 5. The adjacent ends of the two sections of the handle-bar are provided with interlocking teeth, as seen at a4 in Fig. 5, to prevent the turning of one section relative to the other, as will be obvious. The section A has a clutch Asforrned integral therewith and provided with teeth A5 upon one face thereof, as seen most clearly in Figs. 2 and 5.

The handle-bar post or stem Bis made hollow, and has its lower portion Bturned down to a smaller diameterto fit into a hollow inclosing sleeve B0, as seen in Figs. 2 and 4. The said stem is provided with a pair of opposite vertical slots bo bo, which extend from near its upper end down into the lower portion B, as shown at h b in Figs. 2 and 4.

The inclosing sleeve B0 is also provided with a pair of opposite slots h2 b2. (Indicated in dotted lines in Figs. 2 and 4.) The reduced portion B of the stem B turns freely in the sleeve B0, so that the slots b2 b2 in the said sleeve may be turned into and out of coincidence with the slots ho bo in the said stem, as will be hereinafter more fully described.

A block C, having a larger portion c, which works in the upper portions of theslots 190170 and also in the slots b2 b2 in said sleeve, is

mounted in said slots bo ho and has a reduced portion c', which works in the lower portions b arms or triggers C2 C2, by means of which thel said block may be raised for the purpose of disengaging the portion c from the slots in the said sleeve B0, and thus allowing the stem to turn in said sleeve. The block C is held normally looked in the slots of the said sleeve B0 by means of a coil-spring D, which is connected at one end to a perforated lug o0 on the bottom end of the said block C and is connected at its other end to a screw D', which latter is vengaged by an adjusting-nut D0 for regulating the tension on the spring D. A hollow screw-plu g E engages in the end of the lower portion B of the stem and has a iianged head e, which holds the sleeve B0 upon the IOO said lower portion of the stem, as seen in Fig.

The stem B has a collar B2 formed integral with its upper end, through which collar may pass the end of the section A of the handlebar, and this collar is recessed at one side, as seen at b4 in Fig.2, and is provided with clutchteeth b5, adapted to interlock with the teeth a5 on the clutch A3, which latter ts into the recess b4 in the collar B2, as seen in Figs. 2 and 5. The section A of the handle-bar may move laterally through the collar B2 just far enough to allow the teeth a5 on the former to become disengaged from the teeth b5 on the latter, the said lateral movement being limited by the connecting screw-collar A0, hereinbefore described. In order to hold these two sets of clutch-teeth in engagement with each other and so lock the handle-bar against turning, a coil-spring F is fitted within the handle-bar and is coniined at one end by means of a fixed annular rib or collar f, while at its other end it. bears against a sliding sleeve F', through which latter passes a diametrical pin f', which passes at its ends through slots a a in the section A of the handle-bar and engages at its ends in an annular groove b in the interior of the collar B2. In this manner the handle-bar is held locked against turning in the collar B2, but for the purposes of unlocking the said handle-bar in order to turn the same We have provided the following means:

A chain II is connected at one end to the pin f and passes through the interior of the section A2 of the handle-bar to a point in proximity to the hand-grip on that section, where it is connected to a pivoted lever or trigger H by means of an adjustable frame H2, as seen i-n Fig. 3. The lever or trigger II is pivoted within an inclosing lug 71.0 beneath the handle-bar and passes through slots h2 and h3 in the tubing of the handle-bar, being provided at its upper end with a thumb-piece t, by which it may be operated by the thumb of the rider. The frame H2, by means of which the chain is connected to the said lever or trigger, is capable of adjustment as required by means of the screw-bolt h4, to which latter access may be had by removing the hand-grip I, as will be obvious.

It will be seen that the pull on the chain H will be communicated through the pin f' to the rigid collar B2, which, being fixed to the bicycle-frame, will not move, but will simply serve as an anchor for the chain I-I, which, serving as a fulcrum for the lever or trigger I-I, will cause the whole handle-bar to move transversely, and thus disengage the clutchteeth. Upon releasing the trigger H the coilspring F will throw the handle-bar back again into engagement with the collar B2, by which it will be locked against turning.

In use upon a bicycle the sleeve B0, inclosing the lower portion B of the stem B, is

clamped in the steering-head ot the bicycle in the usual manner, and in order to reverse the handle-bar-that is to say, in order to convert the handle-bar from a position having an upward curve, asseen in full lines in Fig. 7, to a position having a downward curve, as seen in dotted lines in said figure, or vice versaby pulling up on thatriggers or arms C2 C2 the block C will become disengaged from the slots in the said sleeve, and the said stem may then be turned through an angle of one hundred and eighty degrees, thus reversing the handle-bar, which may then be given the desired inclination by releasing the clutch hereinbefore described and turning the bar through a vertical plane to the desired position, as will be readily understood by any practical mind. Ve do not, however, wish to limit ourselves to the precise details of construction hereinbefore described, and shown in the accompanying drawings, as many modiications might be made in such details which could be used without departing from the spirit of our invention.

Having thus described our invention, what we claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, "3-

1. In a handle-bar for bicycles, the combination with the horizontal bar; of ahollow stem adjustable about said bar; a sleeve loosely inclosing a reduced portion of the lower end of said stem, and adapted to lit into and be clamped within the steering-head of the bicycle; a screw-plug engaging within the lower end of said hollow stem; and a handoperated locking-latch working in a radial slot in said stem, controlled by a spring within said stem, normally locking said stem against turning in said sleeve", substantially as de scribed.

2. In a handle-bar for bicycles, the combi-v nation with the horizontal bar;of a hollow stem adjustable about said bar, and having a pair of oppositely-disposed radial slots therethrough; a sleeve loosely inclosing said stem and adapted to fit within and be clamped within the steering-head of the bicycle, said sleeve having notches in one end adapted to coincide with the said radial slots in said stem a screw-plug engaging within the lower end of said hollow stem, and having an axial openL ing therethrough, and an enlarged head con- Iining said sleeve upon said stem; a 1atch block fitting in the radial slots in said stem, and capable of axial movement therein, hav ing a narrower portion workin g in said sleeve, and having a wider portion adapted to engage in said notches in the end of said sleeve;` a coil-spring connecting to said latch-block within said hollow stem; and a tension-bolt to which said coil-spring is also connected, passing through the axial opening of said plug, and engaged by a nut; and laterally-extending ears on said latch-block whereby the latter may be disengaged from the notches in said sleeve, substantially as described.

3. In a handle-bar for bicycles, the combination with the stem having a cylindrical collar upon its upper end provided with a clutchface upon one side; of a hollow horizontal bar composed of a longer and a shorter section IOO IIS

connected by a screw-collar, the longer section of said bar passing through the collar on said stem and having a clutch-face rigidly fixed thereon adapted o engage the clutch-face of said cylindrical collar; a iiXed stop within the shorter section of said bar; a sliding sleeve within the longer section of said bari, a diathe longer section thereof; a trigger pivoted diametrically of said shorter section of the bar; an adjustable frame engaging said trigger within said bar; and a flexible connection between said adjustable frame and said diametrical pin, substantially as described.

ln testimony whereof we afx our signatures in presence of two witnesses.

JOSEPH D. KING. MATTHEW A; BURNS.

Witnesses:

JOHN W. MURRAY, Louis E. VEZINAL 

